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WAS ZIK A Prophet?...a Must Read! by Stephenjoachim(m): 5:33pm On May 02, 2015 |
A Speech delivered by Nnamdi Azikiwe titled: “Address to the Ibo People” at the meeting of the Ibo State Assembly (ISA) held at Aba, Nigeria, on Saturday, June 25, 1949. Harbingers of a new day for the Ibo nation, having selected me to preside over the deliberations of this assembly of the Ibo nation, I am conscious of the fact that you have not done so because of any extraordinary attributes in me. I realize that I am not the oldest among you, nor the wisest, nor the wealthiest, nor the most experienced, nor the most learned. I am therefore grateful to you for elevating me to this high pedestal. The Ibo people have reached a cross-road and it is for us to decide which is the right course to follow. We are confronted with routes leading to diverse goals, but as I see it, there is only one road that I can safely recommend for us to tread, and it is the road to self-determination for the Ibo within the framework of a federated commonwealth of Nigeria and the Cameroons, leading to a United States of Africa. Other roads, in my opinion, are calculated to lead us astray from the path of national self-realization. It would appear that God has specially created the Ibo people to suffer persecution and be victimized because of their resolute will to live. Since suffering is the label of our tribe, we can afford to be sacrificed for the ultimate redemption of the children of Africa. Is it not fortunate that the Ibo are among the few remnants of indigenous African nations who are still not spoliated by the artificial niceties of Western materialism? Is it not historically significant that throughout the glorious history of Africa, the Ibo is one of the select few to have escaped the humiliation of a conqueror’s sword or to be a victim of a Carthaginian treaty? Search through the records of African history and you will fail to find an occasion when, in any pitched battle, any African nation has either marched across Ibo territory or subjected the Ibo nation to a humiliating conquest. Instead, there is record to show that the martial prowess of the Ibo, at all stages of human history, has rivaled them not only to survive persecution, but also to adapt themselves to the role thus thrust upon them by history, of preserving all that is best and most noble in African culture and tradition. Placed in this high estate, the Ibo cannot shirk the responsibility conferred on it by its manifest destiny. Having undergone a course of suffering the Ibo must therefore enter into its heritage by asserting its birthright, without apologies. Follow me in a kaleidoscopic study of the Ibo. Four million strong in man-power! Our agricultural resources include economic and food crops which are the bases of modern civilization, not to mention fruits and vegetables which flourish in the tropics! Our mineral resources include coal, lignite, lead, antimony, iron, diatomite, clay, oil, tin! Our forest products include timber of economic value, including iroko and mahogany! Our fauna and flora are marvels of the world! Our land is blessed by waterways of world renown, including the River Niger, Imo River, Cross River! Our ports are among the best known in the continent of Africa. Yet in spite of these natural advantages, which illustrate without doubt the potential wealth of the Ibo, we are among the least developed in Nigeria, economically, and we are so ostracized socially, that we have become extraneous in the political institutions of Nigeria. I have not come here today in order to catalogue the disabilities which the Ibo suffer, in spite of our potential wealth, in spite of our teeming man-power, in spite of our vitality as an indigenous African people; suffice it to say that it would enable you to appreciate the manifest destiny of the Ibo if I enumerated some of the acts of discrimination against us as a people. Socially, the British Press has not been sparing in describing us as ‘the most hated in Nigeria’. In this unholy crusade, the Daily Mirror, The Times, The Economist, News Review and the Daily Mail have been in the forefront. In the Nigerian Press, you are living witnesses of what has happened in the last eighteen months, when Lagos, Zaria and Calabar sections of the Nigerian Press were virtually encouraged to provoke us to tendentious propaganda. It is needless for me to tell you that today, both in England and in West Africa, the expression ‘Ibo’ has become a word of opprobrium. Politically, you have seen with your own eyes how four million people were disenfranchized by the British, for decades, because of our alleged backwardness. We have never been represented on the Executive Council, and not one Ibo town has had the franchise, despite the fact that our native political institutions are essentially democratic—in fact, more democratic than any other nation in Africa, in spite of our extreme individualism. Economically, we have laboured under onerous taxation measures, without receiving sufficient social amenities to justify them. We have been taxed without representation, and our contributions in taxes have been used to develop other areas, Out of proportion to the incidence of taxation in those areas. It would seem that we are becoming a victim of economic annihilation through a gradual but studied process. What are my reasons for cataloguing these disabilities and interpreting them as calculated to emasculate us, and so render us impotent to assert our right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness? I shall now state the facts which should be well known to any honest student of Nigerian history. On the social plane, it will be found that outside of Government College at Umauhia, there is no other secondary school run by the British Government in Nigeria in Ibo-land. There is not one secondary school for girls run by the British Government in our part of the country. In the Northern and Western Provinces, the contrary is the case. If a survey of the hospital facilities in Ibo-land were made, embarrassing results might show some sort of discrimination. Outside of Port Harcourt, fire protection is not provided in any Ibo town. And yet we have been under the protection of Great Britain for many decades! On the economic plane, I cannot sufficiently impress you because you are too familiar with the victimization which is our fate. Look at our roads; how many of them are tarred, compared, for example, with the roads in other parts of the country? Those of you who have travelled to this assembly by road are witnesses of the corrugated and utterly unworthy state of the roads which traverse Ibo-land, in spite of the fact that four million Ibo people pay taxes in order, among others, to have good roads. With roads must be considered the system of communications, water and electricity supplies. How many of our towns, for example, have complete postal, telegraph, telephone and wireless services, compared to towns in other areas of Nigeria? How many have pipe-borne water supplies? How many have electricity undertakings? Does not the Ibo tax-payer fulfill his civic duty? Why, then, must he be a victim of studied official victimization? Today, these disabilities have been intensified. There is a movement to disregard traditional organization in the Ibo nation by the introduction of a specious system of a form of local government. The placing of the Ibo nation in an artificial regionalization scheme has left an unfair impression of attempted domination by minorities of the Ibo people. In the House of Assembly and the Legislative Council the electoral college system has aided in the complete disenfranchisement of the Ibo. As a climax, spurious leadership is being foisted upon us—a mis-leadership which receives official recognition, thus stultifying the legitimate aspirations of the Ibo. This leadership shows a palpable disloyalty to the Ibo and loyalty to an alien protecting power. The only worthwhile stand we can make as a nation is to assert our right to self- determination, as a unit of a prospective Federal Commonwealth of Nigeria and the Cameroons, where our rights will be respected and safeguarded. Roughly speaking, there are twenty main dialectal regions in the Ibo nation, which can be conveniently departmentalized as Provinces of an Ibo State, to wit: Mbamili in the northwest, Aniocha in the west, Anidinma and Ukwuani in the southeast, Nsukka and Udi in the north, Awgu, Awka and Onitsha in the centre, Ogbaru in the south, Abakaliki and Afikpo in the northwest, Okigwi, Orlu, Owerri and Mbaise in the east, Ngwa, Bende, Abiriba Ohafia and Etche in the southwest. These Provinces can have their territorial boundaries delimited, they can select their capitals, and then can conveniently develop their resources both for their common benefit and for those of the other nationalities who make up this great country called Nigeria and the Cameroons. The keynote in this address is self- determination for the Ibo. Let us establish an Ibo State, based on linguistic and ethnic factors, enabling us to take our place side by side with the other linguistic and ethnic groups which make up Nigeria and the Cameroons. With the Hausa, Fulani, Kanuri, Yoruba, Ibibio (Iboku), Angus (Bi-Rom), Tiv, Ijaw, Edo, Urhobo, ltsekiri, Nupe, Igalla, Ogaja, Gwari, Duala, Bali and other nationalities asserting their right to self- determination each as separate as the fingers, but united with others as a part of the same hand, we can reclaim Nigeria and the Cameroons from this degradation which it has pleased the forces of European imperialism to impose upon us. Therefore, our meeting today is of momentous importance in the history of the Ibo, in that opportunity has been presented to us to heed the call of a despoiled race, to answer the summons to redeem a ravished continent, to rally forces to the defence of a humiliated country, and to arouse national consciousness in a demoralized but dynamic nation. Sources: Nnamdi Azikiwe, Zik: A Selection from the Speeches of Nnamdi Azikiwe, Governor- General of the Federation of Nigeria formerly President of the Nigerian Senate formerly Premier of the Eastern Region of Nigeria (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1961). • 1886-1960 6 Likes 2 Shares
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Re: WAS ZIK A Prophet?...a Must Read! by jascon1(m): 5:36pm On May 02, 2015 |
Zik is a dead meat. He was no visionary. Our earlier leaders were thieves n disillusioned. They sold us into suffering n mental slavery. 1 Like |
Re: WAS ZIK A Prophet?...a Must Read! by DaBullIT(m): 5:40pm On May 02, 2015 |
Too long , can someone read it to me ? |
Re: WAS ZIK A Prophet?...a Must Read! by Schematics: 6:40pm On May 02, 2015 |
Great Zik was the Africa's most educated and visionary leader. He is Africa's finest in the mold of Mandela, Nkruma, etc 5 Likes |
Re: WAS ZIK A Prophet?...a Must Read! by Volksfuhrer(m): 7:45pm On May 02, 2015 |
Zik was a demagogue, whose fiery rhetorics were misconstrued by the British for substance. He needlessly attracted undue attention from the British to himself and so was marked for destruction. The British were not handing over power to this man nor to any other southerner for that matter! At the end of the day Zik was found out as nothing more than an armchair activist, for he loathed any risk to personal injury! The British saw that weakness and exploited it to the max. If Zik had been a much wiser nationalist, Nigeria would have developed more than this. The above speech for instance was lacking in wisdom and strategic thinking, even though it moved its listeners into a frenzy. 7 Likes |
Re: WAS ZIK A Prophet?...a Must Read! by Volksfuhrer(m): 7:48pm On May 02, 2015 |
Schematics: Not close at all to these giants. Not even by a million miles! 4 Likes |
Re: WAS ZIK A Prophet?...a Must Read! by Schematics: 8:04pm On May 02, 2015 |
Stop deceiving your self. Great Zik of Africa was the first president of this country and foremost Nigerian nationalist. He singledhandedly championed the independence of this country. The only African that can be compared to Zik of Africa were Mandela and Nkruma. Go and read up about great Zik to cure your ignorance. Volksfuhrer: 4 Likes |
Re: WAS ZIK A Prophet?...a Must Read! by Volksfuhrer(m): 8:35pm On May 02, 2015 |
Schematics: Sorry, Zik was overrated! He was only good at hiding behind his speeches, pretending to be courageous! Foremost nationalist? Say something else. Someone that the British saw merely as a nuisance does not deserve such appellation. Zik that the British had already caged long before independence is what you call foremost nationalist! 5 Likes |
Re: WAS ZIK A Prophet?...a Must Read! by Schematics: 8:48pm On May 02, 2015 |
Like as I said keep deceiving your sorry self. ![]() Great Zik singlehandedly led the way for Nigerian independence and subsequently became the first president of Nigeria. It didnt happen by chance my friend. Lol Being courageous is not about physical fight. Zik floated the first newspaper in West Africa the West African Pilot to fight the British to a standstill. Great Zik was among the first educated Africans to study in America. Zik influenced even Nkruma to go study in Lincoln University--America. Zik can only be rated among firebrands as Mandela, Nkruma etc. Great Zik was Nigeria's number one nationalist and among first 3 in Africa. There are few in Africa that are in his class. Volksfuhrer: 4 Likes |
Re: WAS ZIK A Prophet?...a Must Read! by Volksfuhrer(m): 9:05pm On May 02, 2015 |
Schematics: By 1956, Zik was already toothless. The British no longer took him seriously for his vanity and lack of moral courage. From your submissions, it's obvious you know very little about that period. 1 Like |
Re: WAS ZIK A Prophet?...a Must Read! by Schematics: 9:21pm On May 02, 2015 |
Go and read up your history. I am done with this back and forth with a toddler. Volksfuhrer: 1 Like |
Re: WAS ZIK A Prophet?...a Must Read! by Ayus34(m): 9:43pm On May 02, 2015 |
Schematics:accept it or not.....ZIK was a CHEAT!!! mention one single human development legacy he left behind ![]() 6 Likes |
Re: WAS ZIK A Prophet?...a Must Read! by Schematics: 10:12pm On May 02, 2015 |
Great Zik of Africa was the first president of Nigeria after laying the foundation of Nigeria. Its something nobody has achieved ahead of him. Zik is number one and foremost nationalist out of Nigeria and among the best out of Africa. Deal with it. Lolzz Ayus34: 2 Likes |
Re: WAS ZIK A Prophet?...a Must Read! by Volksfuhrer(m): 10:20pm On May 02, 2015 |
Schematics: You know a lot about the period yet you have not been able to show Zik's contribution to national development or present his personal sacrifices. He was first "Governor General," first "President," and so what! What did he do more with such positions than to receive and entertain foreign VIPs. That is what you call achievement! His nationalism could not even persuade a part of Cameroon to remain with Nigeria despite inheriting a party supposedly caring for them: that is your achievement as foremost nationalist! I'm sorry, you are the toddler here who doesn't know what he's talking about! 1 Like |
Re: WAS ZIK A Prophet?...a Must Read! by Schematics: 10:25pm On May 02, 2015 |
Great Zik of Africa was the first president of Nigeria and the foremost nationalist out of Nigeria and among the finest out of Africa. Such positions are not for the fools. Deal with it or you can keep crying. ![]() Volksfuhrer: |
Re: WAS ZIK A Prophet?...a Must Read! by Nobody: 10:39pm On May 02, 2015 |
In a nutshell, Zik was preaching for resource control decades back. Every tribe in Nigeria wants total resource control except hausa / fulani. Now they are back once more to complete the balkanization of Nigeria which they started a long time ago. 3 Likes |
Re: WAS ZIK A Prophet?...a Must Read! by AhmedMustapha(m): 11:58pm On May 02, 2015 |
janus05:What makes you think Hausa/Fulani don't want resource control? |
Re: WAS ZIK A Prophet?...a Must Read! by papaejima1: 1:46am On May 03, 2015 |
AhmedMustapha:Don't mind him. He doesn't know the hausa-fulani wants to control the oil in the south! Heck, they say it is even their own. So which kain resource control pass that one? 4 Likes |
Re: WAS ZIK A Prophet?...a Must Read! by AhmedMustapha(m): 1:50am On May 03, 2015 |
papaejima1:You have to understand that all states in the country are blessed with mineral resources. The failure of government in harnessing these resources has led to the over-dependence of the Nigerian Oil 1 Like |
Re: WAS ZIK A Prophet?...a Must Read! by ifyan(m): 2:35am On May 03, 2015 |
Zik oh zik why d....... |
Re: WAS ZIK A Prophet?...a Must Read! by Ayus34(m): 3:11am On May 03, 2015 |
Schematics:stop beating around the bush....name one single socio developmental project or program ZIK achiever when he was alive ![]() a ceremonial president is not achievement,especially when u are made non functional as a president under a northern hierarchy! 3 Likes |
Re: WAS ZIK A Prophet?...a Must Read! by Sweetguy25: 5:53am On May 03, 2015 |
Hate it or love it, Zik still remains the most revered Nigerian nationalist. No other person comes close. 2 Likes |
Re: WAS ZIK A Prophet?...a Must Read! by Schematics: 6:26am On May 03, 2015 |
Great Zik of Africa was the first president of Nigeria. Being the first president of Nigeria is so unique. Its a fact known all over the world. Some people even wanted to be president for just one day but they never succeeded. Stop crying and face the reality. He didn't achieve anything in your poisoned mind but he is the most honored nationalist in Nigeria; the most important airport is named after him, Nigeria's highest denomination has his image, all the major cities from Abuja, Lagos, PH, Onitsha, Kano, kaduna, etc has major roads named after him. FG built mausoleums in his honor at his birth place in Zungeru and in Onitsha where he was buried. Fools, coup plotters and non achievers are not honored in such a powerful manner. Keep whining and crying because its justified, you have every reason to be crying. ![]() ![]() Ayus34: 1 Like |
Re: WAS ZIK A Prophet?...a Must Read! by omenka(m): 7:03am On May 03, 2015 |
Schematics:Na wa oo. |
Re: WAS ZIK A Prophet?...a Must Read! by fr3do(m): 7:20am On May 03, 2015 |
Schematics: Zik was truly great. Zik of Africa! 2 Likes |
Re: WAS ZIK A Prophet?...a Must Read! by jpphilips(m): 9:27am On May 03, 2015 |
Volksfuhrer: This can only come from the sanguinary lips of an Ojukwuist. Personal Injury? what do you mean by that? Zik is towing the path of diplomacy, exactly 11yrs from this speech, Nigeria gained independence without firing a shot!! same for most countries of the world, so what is the "bodily harm" for? The British handing over to the north, does it signify that Tafawa Belewa or Ahmadu Bello was ready to take bodily harm? Most of you have serious erosion of cognitive reasoning. Zik was only trying to convince his people to support him to push for an independent Nigeria, he made them see objectively how the British hegemony isn't to their favor hence proffered a solution, by 1957, Zik has inaugurated the NCNC (National council of Nigerians and Cameroon) to drive his point home. Is that what you call arm chair critic? The ibos today are lacking serious direction in leadership, even a blind person can see that the PDP government was never in favour of the Ibos, their inability to allign with their interest today was what Zik bemoaned in 1949, was he wrong? ? Let us emphasize more on Personal injury, it was the wisdom of the likes of Zik and Nkrumah that saved Africa a lot of blood shed and positioned the compass of our beginning on a high moral pedestal you should be grateful for that. If you got your independence at the blood cost to the Americans, I am sure you will be more circumspect in spewing rubbish. If they were anything like Ojukwu, you and I will not be here, the British was a bigger and superior Enemy to the Nigerian Army. Our case would have been worse than Apartheid SA. With pen/wisdom, Zik brought down a Goliath, with Gun, Emperor Ojukwu's March to liberation was crushed. Learn from History. 1 Like |
Re: WAS ZIK A Prophet?...a Must Read! by jpphilips(m): 9:37am On May 03, 2015 |
Volksfuhrer: A coward and a nuisance by your psychotic standard, yet the British abandoned a tax paying, resource laden empire for his sake and ran away right? Let me even assume for the sake of arguement that you are not a historic Nincompoop, A speech like this in the late 40's can land you in a gas chamber anywhere in Eastern Europe let alone Africa. Do you know the definition of treason in 1940? "Any action or thought that embarases the emperor" in this case the queen of England. Zik just incited his people to civil disobedience and self determination under the watch of the Emperor and you dare call him a coward? Do you know that as early as 1893, not saying "God bless the queen" can land your head on a spike? I don't expect an academically inept generation to know that. 6 Likes |
Re: WAS ZIK A Prophet?...a Must Read! by Volksfuhrer(m): 10:01am On May 03, 2015 |
jpphilips: Sorry, the speech was empty, mere hype, nothing more. And please stop overrating Zik. Just stop this nonsense! There were incendiary nationalists too before Zik, why weren't those hanged? or gassed? or guillotined? Or did you think our constitutional development began with Zik? Your post reeks of ignorance. 1 Like |
Re: WAS ZIK A Prophet?...a Must Read! by Schematics: 10:11am On May 03, 2015 |
Thank you for thoroughly schooling the unlettered nuisance. ![]() jpphilips: 3 Likes |
Re: WAS ZIK A Prophet?...a Must Read! by jpphilips(m): 10:12am On May 03, 2015 |
Volksfuhrer: You are just a cheap Lout, do you know what a Governor General means? ? post independent Govt left the position of the Emperor still active. 1963 when Nigeria became a Republic, the position of the Emperor was renamed Governor General and given to Zik. Zik literary replaced the queen of England in Nigerian politics. Bros go and hide, your ignorance stink!! Someone who was instrumental to an independent Nigeria you ask what he contributed? Do you know how it feels for example the Govt of Cameroon to deduct your salary and allowance in form of tax and you cannot cough? That is what Zik saved you from, you cursed brain. If you drink local Gin distilled from Tombo you will spend 5yrs in prison, that is what Zik saved you from. People in Enugu dig coal, most times die from mine explosion, they load it in a train and the proceed is paid to the British government, whether Enugu people lived or died Britain doesn't care, dey still return to tax the meager allowance they are paid. That is what Zik saved you from. Nigeria is not supposed to have an army, the protectorate of Nigeria is protected by the Royal army, that is what Zik saved you from. Nigeria can sell crude oil today is the effort of Zik and his cohorts. Nigeria can fly a flag with coat of arm and sit amongst the committee of Nations is the making of Zik and his cohorts. If not for Zik and his cohorts, you will assume no citizenship till date Nigeria has a president today is their making too, You are a mere political mosquito who knows nothing, go and hide. 6 Likes |
Re: WAS ZIK A Prophet?...a Must Read! by jpphilips(m): 10:14am On May 03, 2015 |
janus05: Zik was not pushing for Ibos to control their resources, he was pushing for Nigeria to control her resources. That speech was where the Journey to an independent Nigeria began. 2 Likes |
Re: WAS ZIK A Prophet?...a Must Read! by jpphilips(m): 10:17am On May 03, 2015 |
AhmedMustapha: Wrong!! The Nigerian state invested heavily in oil at the expense of other resources, it was not a failure but an economic priority. 1 Like |
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